


As The Sun Sets

by TerryAnne



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Anxiety Disorder, Bara Papyrus (Undertale), Bara Sans (Undertale), Big Sans (Undertale), Chicken Soup, Cussing, Depression, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Alphys/Undyne (Undertale), Flowey (Undertale) Being an Asshole, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Guilt, Happy Ending, Heavy Angst, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Mental Breakdown, Mental Health Issues, Mental Instability, Minor Alphys/Undyne (Undertale), Misunderstandings, Nesting, No Sex, No Smut, Other, Overprotective Papyrus (Undertale), Overprotective Sans (Undertale), Panic, Panic Attacks, Papyrus is the Best (Undertale), Parent Toriel (Undertale), Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route, Protective Papyrus (Undertale), Protective Sans (Undertale), Protective Toriel (Undertale), Protectiveness, Reader Is Not Chara (Undertale), Reader Is Not Frisk (Undertale), Reader-Insert, Running Away, Sans is a Mess (Undertale), Self Confidence Issues, Self-Doubt, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Harm, Self-Hatred, Self-Sacrifice, Separation Anxiety, Sick Character, Sickfic, Social Anxiety, Soup, Suicidal Thoughts, Undertale Monsters on the Surface, Worry, sweethearts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:41:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24922477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TerryAnne/pseuds/TerryAnne
Summary: They were all so happy. Laughing, joking, full of life, and hope.And you just... weren't.They didn't need you.No one did.
Relationships: Sans (Undertale)/Reader
Comments: 23
Kudos: 111





	As The Sun Sets

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AKA_Indulgence](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AKA_Indulgence/gifts).



> This is a really sad and dark fic up until the later middle, so if you're sensitive to this material please be careful!

"is everything okay, sweetheart?”

You looked up from where you had been half-heartedly pushing your broccoli around your plate, a food which you normally loved but felt no appetite for tonight, to meet the eyes of your boyfriend. He stared back at you with a look of careful concern, the tension in his pose obvious. It was only then that you realized that the lively conversation that had been gracing the dinner table around you had completely stopped, all attention trained solely on you. You crumpled under everyone's concerned gazes, your eyes and hands immediately dropping down to your lap. You could feel the tension in the air as your hands began to shake slightly. You tried to stifle your overtly egregious reaction as best as you could without coming across as suspicious, clearing your throat.

"Yeah, Sans. I'm fine." You forced out, your voice was shaky and unsure as you cringed at your terrible lie.

In reality, you were anything but fine. Yeah, you probably should've realized that something was wrong when you ran out of all three of your prescription medications. You were too lazy, forgetful, and nervous to go get more, your brain telling you that you would probably be able to function perfectly well without them. And now, though you realized that you _desperately_ needed your medication, you were too afraid of admitting your mistake, or worse, being a burden on your newfound family to ever ask anyone to drive you to the office to pick them up. Dammit, you wished you had learned how to drive, but the mere thought of getting behind the wheel was enough to send you into an anxiety attack on a good day, so you were forced to rely on others for even the most basic of things.

After several more moments of silence, you dared to glance back up at the people seated at the circular table around you. Every one of them was staring intently at you, from little Frisk to the very tall Papyrus, to the intimidating Undyne, and even her tiny girlfriend Alphys. Each one wore mirrored expressions of concern and skepticism, and though you couldn't bear to meet your boyfriend's eyes, you knew Sans probably looked the same. You quickly looked back at your lap, your crippling social anxiety spiking as you withered under the attention that the people around you were giving you.

"My dear, could you please look at me?" Toriel's voice broke the silence that had settled over the room, and you immediately snapped your focus to the goat woman you considered to be your mother figure, your resolve crumbling slightly at the sight of her saddened, knowing smile.

"Are you sure everything is alright?" She asked pointedly, and it took everything in you to keep your tears at bay. Damn, you were so fucking emotional and unstable without your pills, how pathetic.

"Yeah, mom. I'm okay." You replied, your voice cracking towards the end as your throat filled up with a hard, painful lump of tears.

It was clear to you and everyone seated around you how badly you'd lied. You could see it on almost every face at the table, staunch disbelief overshadowed by intense familial concern. But this wasn't their problem, it wasn't their responsibility to deal with. You weren't some sniveling child like you'd been so many years ago. A flood of determination filled you as you fought to keep your emotions in check, willing your facade not to crack badly enough that it broke social regulations. This was your problem to deal with, and meds or not, you weren't going to drag anyone here at the table down with you. Not in a million years.

"Well, that's a relief, because even if you weren't we really wouldn't care anyway." Flowey said dryly, startling everyone at the table.

Flowey's biting voice snapped you out of your thoughts, your determination dissolving as tears pricked at your eyes, unbidden, at the flower's harsh words. Your attempts to continue to hide your despair were even more fruitless than they’d already been, and it took everything in you to keep yourself quiet as your jaw dropped open and the tears that had been building most of the night spilled out and down your cheeks. Your eyes flickered to Sans’ sockets to see voids of black. You tensed.

In a rush of movement so fast you barely caught it, everyone at the table aside from you, Frisk, and Alphys, stood abruptly, startling you. Sans' blue eyelight had appeared, flickering a dangerous mix of blue and yellow, bones forming in a swarm around his head. His signature smile turned deadly as he glared at the tiny flower resting at the table across from you. Papyrus had his arms wrapped around his brother's frame, gloved hands digging tightly into the fabric of his hoodie as he scrambled to keep San's wrath at bay.

Toriel, seated in between Flowey and Undyne, had her paw outstretched and pressed heavily onto the chest of the latter in an attempt to hold back Undyne. The fish woman was enraged, curling her clawed hand into a fist, muscles so strained that you could swear she would burst a blood vessel if her blood pressure stayed as high as it was. You cowered down next to Alphys doing everything you could to put as much distance between the very startled flower and yourself. Alphys put a comforting hand on your own, shooting Flowey a withering glare over her round eyeglasses, which was less threatening than amusing but got the point across. Tears flowed down your cheeks silently as you began to violently shake, bringing your hand up to claw roughly at your left arm to do everything you could to bite back a sob.

Much to your surprise, it was Papyrus who spoke first, and it occurred to you in a bizarre moment of situational irony that he was probably the only person at the table with a voice loud enough to speak over the violent rumbles that sounded threateningly from deep within San's chest. "FLOWEY, WHY WOULD YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO Y/N? YOU KNOW THAT IS NOT THE CASE; WE ARE ALL VERY CONCERNED WITH BOTH THEIR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL BEING. WHAT YOU SAID IS UNTRUE, AND MEAN! YOU SHOULD APOLOGIZE!"

Undyne growled low in her throat, her claws digging so harshly into the flesh of her palm that you worried they would slice through her scales. She didn't flinch though, taking in a deep breath before returning her gaze to the surprisingly nonchalant buttercup across from her. If looks could kill, Flowey would be dead several times over. Toriel shot her a warning glance as she pushed closer to the flower, one that Undyne ignored, instead towering over Flowey with a sneer on her face.

"Yeah, you stupid weed! Besides," She hissed, her tone dropping into a deadly whisper that you had to strain to hear. "They're a sensitive kid. You know about their past, and you, _Asriel_ , should be more sympathetic and considerate than anyone!"

You shuddered violently at the mention of your less-than-ideal past, and your stomach twisted painfully as a look of regret and guilt flashed across Flowey's face, though it was quickly replaced with a cruel sneer that made you want to flinch back. Alphys laced her scaled fingers through your own, giving your hand a reassuring squeeze though she herself looked around the table with no small amount of concern and fear. The tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife, and the familiar buzzing static and heavy cedar scent of San's magic filled the air with a palpable sense of danger and distress that made alarm bells go off in your head.

"Well, hopefully, y/n is big enough that they can handle their own shit like the rest of us did!" Flowey spat harshly, his tone angry and defensive and you tensed, every muscle in your body shaking so violently you were practically vibrating.

 _ **"**_ _ **WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY?!**_ _ **"**_ Sans' voice boomed through the room, startling everyone as the tiny flower was suddenly encased in bright blue magic, suspended precariously inches away from Sans' face.

You flinched back, nearly falling if it hadn't been for Alphys' arm quickly wrapping around your shoulders to steady you, resting there as you fought back the rising panic in your throat. Frisk looked at you with concern, scooting her chair closer next to you to grab on to your sweater in a comforting manner. You took in quiet, shallow breaths, doing everything you could to stay as silent as possible to keep the attention off of you. Damn, you needed your meds. At this point, a panic attack was practically unavoidable, it was just a manner of when; how long you could stall it before it crashed into you like a tidal wave of nothing but raw adrenaline.

"say that again," Sans said after a few moments of tense silence, voice cold and unforgiving, "and i will make sure you _more_ than regret it. we've been through a lot, sure, but y/n has been through hell and is still handling her shitty past and a _multitude_ of actual, valid issues that all of us care about, better than you. so do us all a favor, and **_shut the hell up_** **."**

Alphys' arm wrapped steadily around your shoulders was the only thing helping you keep the overwhelming anxiety and adrenaline that threatened to drown you with its enormity at bay. You hadn't been this bad in years, not since you'd first moved out of your parents' house and realized you were so bad you were forced to get therapy and meds to help you deal with your issues. You were openly crying now, though completely silently, as Sans very reluctantly lowered Flowey to the table, and it seemed as if the room let out a collective breath of a mix of relief and disappointment. Wordlessly, everyone slowly began to sit down, starting with Toriel, who dragged a fuming Undyne with her, then, after a few moments, Papyrus finally managed to get Sans to take a seat beside him, the bones hanging in the air dissolving, though with everyone's attention suddenly back on you, the pressure in the room became too much.

You let out a choked sob.

Immediately, you stood, fast as a gunshot, keeping your eyes on your feet as Alphys’ arm fell from your shoulders and Frisk released your sweater, albeit reluctantly, looking up at you with furrowed brows. You felt everyone's gazes on you as you stood there shaking and sobbing softly, doing everything you could to keep yourself from crumbling in a ball as you pushed out your chair so quickly it toppled over in a loud clatter, ramping up your anxiety to dangerous levels. You stammered out an apology, kneeling quickly and awkwardly to pick it back up as your face flushed red with humiliation, and you ducked your head so far down that it hit your chest. Standing, never turning your back to the table, you bowed slightly, awkwardly, clasping your hands together so tightly your knuckles were white.

"I'm going to bed, goodnight." You sobbed out, the words tumbling from your lips as you retreated on shaking legs, a litany of protests following you.

Your pace was brisk as you stumbled past a worried Frisk, who vainly attempted to stop you with an outstretched hand you easily sidestepped. You began to break down, your sobs becoming loud and shuddering as you curled into yourself, your knees buckling a little as you become blind with your tears. You quickened your pace, crossing the threshold of the room and disappearing into the hallway without a backward glance. You heard a chair topple over and you flinched, breaking out into a sudden sprint as adrenaline and the fear of being chased lighted inside your veins.

As soon as you caught sight of your room, a wave of relief so intense you almost fell over slammed into you, and you slipped inside as quickly as you could, slamming the door behind you. Exhausted, you leaned back against the wall, finally, _finally_ relaxed enough to cover your eyes and lean your weight back, sliding down the door and curling into a tight ball as you hit the floor. You shook violently as your sobs strengthened, then finally quieted, and your hiccups slowed into short, stuttering breaths.

"sweetheart? can i please come in?" Sans' voice startled you as it called from the other side of the door, muffled and soft, but thick with worry.

You stayed still for a moment, staring down at your hands that still shook badly. You desperately wanted Sans to come in and comfort you, more than anything in the world you wanted to be wrapped up in his arms, cuddled up in the soft warmth of his hoodie. But this wasn't his problem, and you couldn't ask him to handle this. You couldn't...you couldn't...

"Yes."

Instantly, a pair of arms wrapped around you, and you startled a bit before the familiar smell of cedar filled your nose. You broke down crying again, turning into the warmth that Sans offered and reaching out to cling tightly onto his jacket. He shushed you gently, picking you up and carrying you over to his bed, before sitting down and pulling you into his lap, tucking you into his hoodie and resting his chin atop your head as he rocked you in slow, soothing movements.

"shh, my perfect little mate, shh. it's okay, it's okay to cry. i'm so sorry he said those things to you, they weren't true at all. you are perfect just the way you are, okay? i love you so, so much. shh, shh..."

After what felt like hours, your sobs finally quieted, then stopped completely, until you were left limp and sniffling in Sans' hold. Sans continued to rock you and whisper encouragement long after your tears had stopped flowing. As you came back to your senses, a feeling of horrible embarrassment flooded through you, and you flushed a bright shade of red. That was so pathetic! You couldn't handle one stupid issue before you had a breakdown!

A small voice in your head reminded you that this particular breakdown had been a long time coming, with your lack of medication and the tendency to force down your issues leading to an unhealthy concoction of mental tension. It told you not to blame yourself, because this wasn't something you could help, and that you should just tell Sans what was wrong. But the larger part of you, the one that wished you could crawl into the floor and die, felt unbelievably childish and weak for your reaction.

"I'm sorry," you whispered, and Sans pulled his head from yours, shifting your position so you could look up into his bright eyes.

"for what, love? you didn't do anything wrong, though i would appreciate it if you would tell me the truth next time i ask if you're upset." Sans chided, though his voice held no heat and he looked worried more than anything else.

You and Sans both startled as a loud screech sounded from the kitchen, followed by several familiar voices and the sound of shattering glass. A muffled “YOU ASSHOLE!” Shook the house, and the sound of Undyne’s enraged voice startled you so much that you choked out a laugh. The sound of Papyrus trying to calm her but instead being drowned out by the dull sounds of spears embedding themselves into wood was so amusing to both you and Sans that you burst out laughing, some of your anxiety melting away as you relaxed in his hold.

”god, it should be illegal to be as cute as you are when you laugh. now, as entertaining as that debacle was, are you going to tell me what’s really going on?” Sans asked softly.

You blushed brightly, sighing and burying your face into the fabric of his hoodie. You hated being caught in a lie, more than anything else you could get in trouble for. You felt guilty, even if you could tell that no one was mad at you. But that didn't mean you could tell him the truth, right? You could just ask Papyrus to grab your meds for you if you had to, or at worst, walk there yourself when they were at work, even if it was a few miles away.

"It's just been...hard, for the past few days. I haven't gotten enough sleep and I'm lonely." You said, which technically wasn't a lie, even though you were omitting a huge detail.

"oh, little one. come to me next time you're feeling this way, okay? we can work through it together to avoid situations like that. and," Sans said, gently grasping your chin to look into your eyes with deadly seriousness, "i promise that he will never, _ever_ say anything like that to you again and get away with it, okay? i'll always protect you."

Sans punctuated his speech with a soft, comforting kiss, and the strong scent of cedar filled your nose as his magic surrounded you both, shifting you both so you were laying down, your body still cuddled up in his jacket and your legs entwined. You smiled against his teeth, your spirits lifting a bit as he pulled the blanket up to cover your both, before pulling away and tucking you into himself in a protective embrace.

You laid like that for an uncertain amount of time, before you heard the sound of his soft snores, and you finally allowed yourself to be pulled into an unsettled slumber.

********

Things were okay..... for a little while, that is.

You stayed silent about your meds; no one asked you about it so you figured it must not be that important or noticeable and you probably didn't need them anymore anyway. Sans and Papyrus got busier and busier, which you supposed was probably both a good and bad thing. Bad for the obvious reason. Stuck at home, unable to leave very often, and often too tired to do so, you were lonely and cooped-up in your apartment. You'd begged Papyrus and Sans on multiple occasions to let you get a job to help around the house, but they argued that you were delicate and fragile and they were happier knowing you could just lounge around at home and enjoy yourself.

Them being away wasn't all bad, however, though the upsides were less enjoyable than you'd hoped. Without your meds, you found your anxiety constantly spiking, which left you exhausted and numb most days, and you dissociated a lot, and you were grateful to any diety that listened that they didn't have to deal with that. You didn't want to worry them with your mental stability when they were already so busy with their own lives and supporting your wellbeing.

But...you missed them.

Not wanting to spend any more money than necessary, you stopped booking appointments with your therapist. You were fine anyway, you didn't need him to help you when nothing was wrong. You'd done this your entire childhood with no meds or therapy and you were fine, right? Of course, of course. Your psychologist's office was within walking distance, so you didn't have to ask people for rides, and even better, you had no reason to tell anyone you had stopped! Therapy is expensive, you knew that, and if you could spare them the expense, you would. They didn't need to know about it to feel the effects.

Even with this logic, something in you felt seriously wrong. Every day when you woke up, you felt oddly fatigued and almost upset. The nightmares that had faded in your youth had come back again in full force. You lost track of time and had no sense of days passing because you spent most of your time staring at the ceiling or reading the same five books over and over like a mantra. Normally, Papy or at least Sans would have noticed and corrected this repetitive, and frankly unhealthy, behavior, but lately, they were swamped. Their jobs always seemed to toughen up this time of year, probably to prepare for the coming holidays.

It took a toll on them, you could tell. In your odd, dissociative state, you were far less observant than usual, but even you could see that they were exhausted, often skipping dinner altogether in favor of crashing as soon as they got home. This was concerning when it came to Sans, but seeing Papyrus lose his enthusiasm for cooking dinner in the late afternoons was nothing short of depressing. This only furthered your loneliness as you ate by yourself, your meals getting smaller and smaller until you ate nothing at all. If you weren't eating with them, then why eat? Food tasted bland and gritty to you anyway, so it wasn't a sacrifice when you started skipping dinner, then breakfast, then, on most days, even lunch.

They didn't notice.

You told yourself that you didn't care.

As things went on, it only worsened, and you were powerless to do anything to stop it. Day after day of them going to bed before you, and leaving long before you awoke. Days going by with the number of sentences they spoke to you dwindling, the loneliness faded into eternal nothingness. The numb, tired stupor you were caught in seemed only to be broken by occasional spikes in your anxiety, and with your isolation, even that was becoming few and far between, which you weren't sure if you were happy or sad about.

Finally, the numb prison you found yourself stuck in became too much for you to bear. Your feared you would lose yourself, get bad enough that you would waste away and even your overworked boyfriend and his brother would notice, something you dreaded. They didn't need the added stress of having to deal with your stupid problems next to their own. You had to find a way to feel something, and as you stood in the kitchen late at night, the darkness covering you, you found a way.

You hadn't done it for years. Not since you were a teenager, stuck living with your parents. They hadn't noticed in all of your years living with them, so you knew that it was unlikely that the two mostly oblivious skeletons living with you now would pay you enough mind to figure it out. You looked at the knife resting on the kitchen counter, a small perry knife that you knew no one would notice was missing. It was small, but sharp and thin, something you could appreciate in a blade. It was perfect for what you were planning to do.

You felt disgusting.

But hey, at least disgusting was a feeling. It's better than numb. Anything is better than being numb, even agony. So, you chose agony. Slice, after slice, ruby drops drip, drip, dripping into the metal of the kitchen sink, the iron scent of the metal lining washing out the iron scent of blood. They wouldn't notice it. You made sure of that. Though, with a bitter laugh, you realized that they probably wouldn't have noticed unless you made it obvious. You always liked hoodies anyway, and you made sure not to cut too low on your wrists.

It felt awful.

But at least awful was something. You could do awful. You would do awful if it meant keeping them safe from your trauma. Your thoughts shifted to Sans' smiling face and your heart twinged, which surprised you. You'd grown so unfeeling you didn't think that was possible.

Damn, you were really bad again, weren't you?

And yet, you couldn't bring yourself to stop. The rush of relief that filled you when you pulled the knife away from your skin after each cut was intoxicating. You were drunk on the sensation. Disgusting. Pathetic and horrific. Sick, twisted. Honest. Your thoughts were broken up into dissolving fragments as you cleaned the knife with practiced movements, slipping it into its holder like it had never been used. 

Next, knowing you had to do this no matter how pointless it seemed, you grabbed a roll of paper towels and a bottle of alcohol, coming to stand once again by the sink and washing your mottled skin clean of the blood that darkened it. The cuts weren't deep; they didn't keep bleeding once you'd rinsed them off, but you soaked a towel in alcohol and ran it over the cuts anyway, barely reacting as each cut smarted and burned painfully.

Once you were sure they wouldn't bleed again, you rolled down your sleeves, letting out a heavy sigh as you realized it was over. You tried to fight the feeling of nothingness that clawed at your brain, but it was too much. Your stomach grumbled.

You ignored it.

********

"honey? are you there?" San's voice snapped you out of another light bout of dissociation as you heard the front door open.

He was home early. Odd.

"Here." You called out blandly, trying to force a little life back into your voice as you heard his footsteps coming towards your room.

The door opened then, and your eyes widened slightly as they fell upon Sans' form. He looked like the walking dead, dark, prominent circles under his sockets glaring at you against his bone. His normally slouched stature seemed unnaturally hunched, and his impressive height was diminished to that of a normal man, making him look weak and pale. You stayed silent as he stumbled over to the bed, falling onto the mattress next to you and immediately pulling you into a hug, resting most of his immense weight on you, which you struggled to support in your diminished state.

"did you lose weight?" Sans grumbled a bit, burying his face into the juncture where your neck met your shoulder and breathing in your scent.

"No." You lied simply, the twinge of guilt you expected to feel at lying to him masked by the dissociative spell hovering at the back of your mind.

"...is something wrong?"

You cocked an eyebrow at the question, unsure of how to answer. Was something wrong? According to medical professionals, yeah, I guess, but according to you? You'd done this shit for years, this was nothing new. It was normal. You were a little numb, sure, and maybe not eating as much as you should, but it's not like you were crying or anything. You'd had no panic attacks, no breakdowns, just dissociation, and a little bit of cutting. Was that _really_ so bad?

...yes. You knew it was.

"Actually..." You trailed off, unsure of how to tell Sans what was going on.

You stared down at your hands for a moment, feeling his steady breathing brushing against the skin of your throat as you gathered your thoughts. You'd start with Flowey, then the numbness, then...the cutting. You gathered your courage, finally, _finally_ feeling emotion welling up inside your for the first time in weeks, a sign of courage, a terror, that made you feel alive! Determination, subtle, but there, welled up in your soul, and you felt like you were really breathing for the first time in...who knows how long. You had to tell Sans now, when he was open to hearing you and you were open enough to tell him the truth. You could do this!

He snored.

Your heart crashed.

You couldn't do this.

You began to shake, the emotion that had been building up in your soul, the determination that had finally come back twisting and souring into a familiar sense of abject terror and suffocating panic. As gently as you could, you shifted Sans so he was laying on the bed, glancing out the window to see the sun was setting. Knowing you couldn't spend another night alone on the kitchen floor, staring into the darkness. Knowing that you had to get out of here, to stop plaguing their lives with your problems, to stop _burdening the_ _m!_

As calmly as you could in your circumstances, you reached over and grabbed the book you'd been reading for the sixth or seventh time and a pen that sat beside it, roughly tearing out the first page and using the hardcover of the book to scratch out a sloppily written message on the paper.

_"I'm sorry I've burdened you for so long. I've run away into the city. I love you but I can't keep wasting your time and money. I won't keep hurting you. Neither you, nor anyone else will ever have to deal with me again after tonight. Please forgive me. I love you so much."_

You set the book and note gently on the nightstand next to your phone, hands shaking as you tried to keep it quiet. You knew it didn't offer much of an explanation but you were too incoherent at the moment to care. You stumbled to your feet, panic setting in as your shaking intensified, your breaths coming in short, shallow gasps as you struggled to pull in air. You had to get out of here, _now_. To stop bothering them by existing, to stop wasting their time and money and love. Flowey's words echoed in your mind.

_"Well, that's a relief, because even if you weren't we really wouldn't care anyway."_

He was right. 

.....

You were outside. How did you get outside? You didn't remember leaving the apartment. It didn't matter, you reasoned. You had to get out of the apartment complex and away from this place as fast as you could before Papyrus came home. He, bless his heart, cared more about others than he did himself, so he wouldn't let you do this for them because both he and you knew that you'd probably end up dying eventually.

They would be happier if you did.

The realization struck you like a bullet, and you grasped at your chest as a horrible pain flashed inside you, making you crumple over and dry heave as you barreled down the stairs of your apartment. Stumbling around blindly, you finally managed to escape the building, breathing in the cold, crisp air of a late autumn night and shivering as it touched your ill protected skin. You were adorned in a sweater, but you knew even that wouldn't last long in this weather.

Freezing to death, huh? Not how you'd imagined it, but what happens, happens.

With that thought, you took off in a sprint, a mad dash to put as much distance between you and the apartment as you could. You didn't pay any attention to where you were going or what turns you took, winding further and further into the labyrinth that made up your city. Very quickly, you were well and truly lost, in a part of the city you had never seen before. Your energy was gone, the lack of food and proper sleep in these past few weeks catching up on you as your adrenaline and twisted determination dwindled. You pushed on, hot tears running down your face to quickly become freezing cold.

A frigid droplet hit your face.

You froze in your place, and stood, flabbergasted, as you stared up at the sky, watching as the crowd of oblivious city-goers disappeared in avoidance of the sudden downpour that fell from the sky. They scattered like ants, the rain falling so suddenly and violently it knocked the wind out of you. You merely laughed, every ounce of warmth and determination being seeped painfully from your body as you limped forward, a numb acceptance falling over you.

You were going to die out here.

After what felt like eons, you bumped against something as cold and hard as steel and looked down to see a park bench beneath you. You looked up through the rain that was so cold it may as well have been hail and noticed you were in the middle of a very small park, one that you didn't recognize. Morbidly, you hoped that no one you knew would find your body so that they wouldn't have to carry that burden.

As far as final resting places go, it didn't seem so bad. You sobbed anyway.

Exhausted, miserable, depressed, you slumped down onto the unforgiving bench, feeling the cold metal only serve to suck the warmth from your body faster. You felt a bit of relief as the rain gradually slowed to a stop, and you sighed and closed your eyes. The last thing you thought of before you let yourself succumb to sleep was the happy grin on your family's face you knew you'd never see again.

********

"OH, THANK GOODNESS! HUMAN, ARE YOU ALRIGHT? CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

Wait, you recognized that booming tone. Familiar, warm, worried, the too-loud voice reminding you of a sense of home you didn't recognize but knew you should. Your eyes felt frozen shut, much like the rest of you, that had passed cold and moved into a numb, almost warm territory. It felt as if you moved, your skin would crack and break. Your breaths were long and slow, pulling in air so frigid that it burned your lungs but made you feel strangely alive.

"DO NOT WORRY, SMALL HUMAN. THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL SAVE YOU!"

You flinched slightly as warm phalanges came to rest on your arm, the sensation so foreign and hot against your skin that it burned like a hot iron. You stifled a scream as heat flooded through you, your blood moving like sludge through your veins as you started to awaken. The pain was quickly washed away, as the smell of honey and static filled the air, and you recognized the feeling of healing magic washing over you.

Papyrus. Papyrus was here, and he was healing you. _Papyrus was here and he was healing you._ You almost sobbed as an overwhelming amount of emotions slammed into you. Relief, guilt, happiness. They had looked for you! They cared enough to search for you! You were alive!

_You were alive!_

A bright, hopeful smile stretched itself across your face as you forced your eyes open, looking down to immediately see Papyrus leaning over you, the early morning sun illuminating you from behind him. He had a look of intense concentration and desperation on his face, unaware that you were looking at him with a tearful grin. His gloves lay on the ground next to the bench, discarded as he placed his bones directly against the fabric of your sweater. His magic was warming you, allowing you to breathe easier and quickening the slow beat of your heart.

"Papy?" You coughed out, your grin firmly in place as you reached your hand out towards him to place it on his head.

Papyrus' attention immediately snapped to you, a large, relieved smile appearing on his face as he dipped down, pulling you into a hug. You laughed, your newfound hope and life making you giddy as you wrapped your weakened arms around him. In a smooth movement, he scooped you up into his arms, shifting your weight to carry you effortlessly on one arm as he stood. He bent down quickly to grab his gloves before tucking them into your lap. You looked up at him to question what he was doing when he used his now free hand to pull off his large, red scarf, muttering to himself about silly humans as he wrapped it around your neck.

You brought a frigid hand up to touch the warm, honey-scented fabric now covering your neck, lower face, and a large part of your shoulders. Tears pricked your eyes at the touching gesture, leaning into Papyrus' shoulder like a child as emotions continued to well up inside you.

"I AM SO GLAD I FOUND YOU, Y/N. WE HAVE ALL BEEN SEARCHING FOR YOU ALL NIGHT! EVERYONE IS WORRIED SICK! I MUST GET YOU BACK HOME AT ONCE!" 

You scowled a bit in confusion, looking up at Papyrus' face as he carried you through the empty park. A couple of people shot you and Papyrus odd glances, especially considering the skeleton's almost ten-foot height, but Papyrus, and by default you, ignored them. Your concern was more focused on what he'd said moments before, something that sent a new twinge of nerves and hope through you.

"We?"

Papyrus glanced down at you, his face adorned with an expression of "silly humans and their questions with obvious answers." You stared up at him expectantly, shivering slightly as the cold began to bleed back into your clothes and under your skin. He held you a little tighter, quickening his pace as he wound knowledgeably through the many twists and turns in the unfamiliar section of the city.

"YES, WE! EVERYONE HAS BEEN WORKING VERY HARD TO DO WHAT THEY COULD TO FIND YOU. WHEN I AWOKE SANS FROM HIS NAP A LITTLE LESS THAN AN HOUR AFTER HE'D GOTTEN HOME FROM HIS PLACE OF WORK, HE FOUND YOUR NOTE. WE IMMEDIATELY CALLED TORIEL AND SHE ROUND UP EVERY MONSTER WE HAD KNOWN IN THE UNDERGROUND TO GO SEARCHING FOR YOU. HONESTLY, I AM SURPRISED I ENDED UP BEING THE ONE TO FIND YOU. I DID NOT THINK YOU WOULD COME TO SUCH A SECLUDED PART OF THE CITY, AS YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN THERE!" Papyrus exclaimed, sounding proud of himself.

"Well, Papy, that was kinda the point. I didn't think I'd ever need to find my way back." You chuckled, your tone sad and self-deprecating.

Papyrus stumbled, making you jolt and grab onto his shirt, before he stopped, the arm supporting your weight tightening around you to draw you closer to him. You looked back up from where you'd been watching the city, alarmed, to see a look of saddened realization on his face, which made your stomach clench.

"You Did Not Intend On Coming Back, Did You?" Papyrus asked, his voice practically a whisper.

"...No."

He drew in a large breath.

"PLEASE, DO NOT DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS AGAIN. WE...I DO NOT WANT TO LOSE YOU." Papyrus said, his tone more sad and desperate than you had ever heard from the upbeat skeleton.

You swallowed thickly as tears started to flow down your cheeks, the smile that had faded on your journey returning in full force. Being here, carried by Papyrus, you wondered to yourself why you would ever want to leave them in the first place. But of course, you knew why. You knew that you had done it selflessly.

"Okay, Papy." You whispered, and he let out a satisfied hum.

After that, both of you fell silent, the city growing brighter and brighter as the sun slowly climbed over the horizon. It was still too early for many people to be out and about, maybe around six in the morning or so? You were a bit surprised at how many turns and odd alleyways you and Papyrus had to pass through in order to get back to the apartment, and it took nearly an hour for you two to get to an area of the city you remembered. No wonder it had taken them so long to find you, you'd gone much farther than you'd intended. You tensed a bit as the two of you approached your apartment building, and a strange sense of anticipation and nervousness filled you as the reality of your situation began to set in.

You'd run away from your apartment, done a horrible job of attempting to kill yourself with only a poorly written and very cryptic note to give everyone an idea as to why you had fled so suddenly, and you'd wasted everyone's time on trying to find you. They were probably exhausted and irritated, having spent the whole night looking for your dumbass only to find you'd been taking a power nap several miles away and hadn't even done the one thing you'd left to accomplish. They were probably going to be _furious!_ You gulped as you imagined the enraged look on Undyne's face, the disappointment on Toriel's, and who knows what horrible expression Sans would have when he caught sight of you next. He would probably hate you for this.

"Hey, Papy? Can I ask you a question before we go in?" You asked timidly, and Papyrus' stopped a few feet from the entrance of the building.

"OF COURSE, HUMAN. WHAT IS IT?" 

"Where am I gonna live now?" You forced out, and Papyrus snapped his gaze from where it had been watching a couple pass to look down to you, the expression on his face so incredulous it was almost amusing.

"WHAT A RIDICULOUS THING TO SAY! YOU'LL LIVE HERE, WITH US, AS YOU ALWAYS HAVE!" Papyrus said gallantly, approaching the door and swinging it open with gusto.

You relaxed a little at that, though you forced down a bit of hope that rose in your chest. Papyrus was sweet, forgiving, and naive. Of course, _he_ didn't think anything would change, but he would never kick you out for anything you'd done. Sans and the others, though they loved you, were not as forgiving in that area. They would never tell Papyrus, but they may already have your things packed for you as soon as you stepped into your apartment.

In what seemed like the blink of an eye, Papyrus and you were approaching the front door to your apartment. You took in a deep breath, trying to keep your nerves at bay as Papyrus unlocked the door. He stopped a moment before entering, his hand resting on the knob of the door with hesitance. You looked up at him for a moment, perplexed, to see him looking down at you questioningly.

"Are You Ready?" He murmured.

A feeling of dread settled over you at the odd question, and you tensed. Too nervous to answer, you closed your eyes, the anticipation of the moment growing nearly unbearable as you heard muffled voices on the other side of the door. You just had to get it over with, rip off the band-aid. You would only get more nervous if you sat there waiting like a turkey waiting for Thanksgiving night. You took a deep breath and reopened your eyes, your gaze meeting Papyrus' eyelights. He sat patiently as you gathered your courage.

You nodded.

Papyrus turned the knob and the quiet chattering inside your apartment stopped, along with your heart. You fought the urge to bury yourself into Papyrus' scarf further as he slowly opened the door, stepping into the room to extend to his full height, giving you the perfect vantage to see the entirety of the room. Your breaths came in short gasps as you looked out over the threshold of your kitchen, your eyes widening at the scene laid out before you.

On the far left, draped unceremoniously across the armrest of your couch, was Undyne, holding Alphys in her lap and clinging to the smaller lizard monster like a lifeline. They both looked exhausted, covered in grime with dark circles under their eyes. Their attention was trained completely on you, a look of shock and relief on their faces as Undyne slumped in her chair. Alphys stared at you with a large grin, adjusting her glasses a bit as if trying to see you better.

In the center of the room, sitting at the far end of the table, was Asgore, holding Frisk to his chest as she cried unceremoniously. He was dressed in a tank top and jeans, fur disheveled and damp with what you could only assume was rainwater. Frisk's attention snapped to Papyrus as soon as he walked in, then drifted down to you with a look of shock more expressive than you ever usually saw on her. Asgore looked completely relieved, his grip tightening on Frisk as she straightened in his hold, looking at you like she'd found a real unicorn.

On the far right of the room, leaning against the counter, was Grillby, holding a phone in his hand like he'd been talking to someone before you came in. Your eyes widened and your brows shot up as you looked at the fire monster, shock running through you as you met his eyes. You could see no clear expression on his face, but by the way his agitated flames seemed to calm down a bit, and his shoulders slumped, you would guess he was either relieved or disappointed. Damn, when Papyrus said they'd called every monster they knew, you didn't know that he'd meant that literally.

You cleared your throat awkwardly as everyone stared at you, dropping your gaze to the floor. Papyrus kneeled down a bit, setting you on your feet before straightening. you swayed a bit, weak and cold from your time outside, and Papyrus reached out a hand to steady you. The silence and tension in the room were deafening, and you tensed as you heard Asgore take in a sharp breath.

"Y/n?" Frisk's soft voice pulled your attention away from yourself as you looked up to meet the child's eyes.

Her sharp intake of breath was your only warning before she squirmed out of Asgore's lap like he was on fire, sprinting past the table to come barreling into you. You opened your arms at the last second, catching her in your embrace as she leaped towards you, sobbing violently. Had it not been for Papyrus' legs behind you, and his steady grasp on your shoulder, you would've fallen then, Frisk's weight throwing you completely off balance.

"Frisk, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" You asked, worry and confusion tinting your voice as she clawed her way closer to you, shoving her face into your chest.

"Why is she crying! Because of you, you idiot! You scared us, disappearing like that, with some cryptic note like you were gonna...gonna...Jesus!" Undyne's angry voice startled you as she shot up from her place on the couch, Alphys scrambling off her lap just in time to avoid being dumped on the floor. The broken, terrified tone the end of her sentence took chilled your veins, and you knew that they realized what you planned to do.

"I...I'm so sorry." You murmured, unable to meet Undyne's eye as she stalked up to you.

Alphys called out to Undyne as she approached, her body tense as she towered threateningly over you. You wrapped your body around Frisk, trying to protect her as you prepared yourself for Undyne's blow. Papyrus tensed behind you, shooting Undyne a warning glare, which she ignored. Grillby and Asgore tensed as well, staying where they were but prepared to jump to your defense at any sign of danger.

Everyone was shocked as Undyne fell to her knees and pulled you into a side hug, startling you so badly you almost fell over. Everyone relaxed, and you released Frisk to instead return Undyne's hug, a shaky relieved smile sprawled across your face. The hug was short, her letting you go only seconds later and standing abruptly, muttering to herself as she walked back to where Alphys was waiting. Frisk still hadn't let go of you, and you looped your arms loosely around her again, smiling gently.

"I am going to call Toriel and tell her and the others that we found Y/n." Grillby's smooth, crackling voice interrupted the silence, and you moved to look at the flame monster, who gave you a gentle smile as he clicked the screen of his phone on and brought it up to his ear.

"Come sit down, child. You must be exhausted." Asgore called from the table, pulling out one of the chairs and gesturing for you to sit down.

You walked over to the table, shooting Asgore a grateful smile as you pulled away from the hug and opted to take Frisk's hand instead, leading her back to her father who picked her up and placed her back in his lap. You took a seat by the former king, a wave of exhaustion sweeping over you as you slumped heavily into your seat. Asgore reached over and set a large, warm paw on your back, rubbing in soothing circles. You dropped your head to the table in exhaustion as Papyrus pulled out the chair next to you, sitting close.

It was...nice.

Suddenly, the door slammed open so hard it shook the frame of the room, and your head snapped up, Asgore's hand falling from your back.

Your eyes met Sans' widened sockets, his eyelights dilating immediately as they rested upon your face. Behind him stood a disoriented Toriel, staring into the apartment like she'd been in another area moments before. Instantly, Sans was at your side, scooping you up so quickly you barely had time to react before he was on the floor, clutching you to his chest and sobbing violently. 

You were being held so tightly in his arms that you couldn't move, the scent of cedar filling your nose as his magic bled out into the room. Papyrus cried out in alarm and knelt by his brother, trying to figure out why Sans was crying and why he had fallen so gracelessly onto the ground. Sans babbled incoherently as he wrapped himself further and further around you, his huge frame engulfing you until all you could see was his hoodie and the glint of white bones.

You yelped slightly as your world tilted, and Sans, along with you, was lifted from his place on the floor. He tightened his grip even further, so much so you were sure it would bruise if it got any tighter. It took you a moment to realize that Papyrus had picked you both up, and then set Sans and you gently on the couch beside Undyne and Alphys before squeezing in on the other side, his ungloved hands hovering over Sans for a moment before pulling away completely.

You tucked your nose into Sans' chest as he cried, humming softly and doing your best to comfort him. Seeing him in so much pain hurt you, and you immediately felt crushed with guilt as his agonized sobs echoed through the silent room. Through the spaces in between his bones, you could see Toriel coming over to the couch to kneel beside it, putting a soothing paw on your arm.

On your bare arm.

Shit.

"My child, what are these marks on your arm?" She asked softly, and every muscle in your body tensed, and you had to fight the urge to rip your arm from her grasp as she stretched it out, rolling up the sleeves with a soft gasp.

Sans pulled back from you then, letting you sit up in his lap as he lifted his head to follow the goat woman's gaze. He still held you tightly in his grasp, and you tensed as his grip on you constricted, a strangled sound forcing its way from his mouth. You stared down at your own arms, still mangled with fresh cuts. You felt exposed, terrified of the others' reaction as every eye in the room was trained on what you'd done. You felt your sins crawling up your back.

"Oh, Y/n," She hummed sadly, bringing her paw up to touch the marks.

You flinched violently and tried to pull away, but Sans' grip on your waist and Toriel's grasp on your wrist was too strong, and they stopped you. You slumped a bit as her fur touched your cuts, hissing in a breath as they smarted under her careful touch. Sans let out a warning growl that vibrated through you, his eyelight glowing blue and washing your skin with the color. Toriel ignored his warning, a look of concentration on her face as her paw began to glow with healing magic. The cuts slowly disappeared, itching as they closed themselves up under your gaze. Sans relaxed then, bringing his hand up to pet soothingly over your hair.

"oh, sweetheart. i'm so sorry. you've been hurting so badly and i...i... why didn't you come to me?" Sans whispered into your ear, tucking you further into himself as Toriel finished with your left arm and moved to the other, her eyes sad.

"You and Papy were busy and tired. It wasn't that bad, I just ran out of my meds and didn't want to ask either of you to take me to get them refilled." You replied just as softly, humiliated.

"YOU CAN ALWAYS COME TO MY BROTHER AND ME, Y/N. HE MIGHT BE LAZY, BUT SANS WOULD BE MORE THAN WILLING TO TAKE YOU TO REFILL YOUR PRESCRIPTION, AS WOULD I." Papyrus offered, his hand falling on your shoulder comfortingly.

"A-and I know that U-undyne and I aren't a-always around but w-we'd be more than h-happy to help, just give us a c-call." Alphys offered, and Undyne nodded, a sharp smile flashing on her face.

"My husband and I will also be happy to assist whenever you need it, whether or not we are currently with you," Toriel interjected softly, giving you a pointed look.

"and please, don't say it wasn't that bad. you were so depressed you started to cut your own skin again. and you tried to run away because you felt like so much of a burden. you being in that much pain is a big deal to me. to all of us. i'm so sorry i didn't see it happening. i'm so sorry you were alone." Sans' voice broke and he began to cry again, the sound shattering your aching heart.

You brought your free hand to cover his as he clutched onto your dirty sweater, burying his face into your neck. Tears started to slide down your cheeks as you looked at everyone sitting around you, from the ever-confident Undyne to the sweet Papyrus, each one giving you looks of so much love and support it was almost too much for you to bear. Toriel carefully rolled down your sleeve as she finished, standing to press a soft kiss to your head. You choked back a sob as she pressed her face against hers, giving you a quick hug before pulling away and moving to stand beside Asgore.

"I think it's time we head home. It's been a long night and we all need our rest." Toriel said, looking down at Frisk who was leaning heavily into Asgore's chest.

"OF COURSE, LADY ASGORE. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP." Papyrus said kindly, and she smiled, giving you a reassuring look before she took Asgore's hand and led him out of the apartment, Frisk following sleepily behind after giving you a small wave goodbye.

You returned her wave, sadness piercing your heart as you watched them leave. Sans didn't react, clinging tightly to you and crying quietly, gulping in your scent like you could disappear any moment. You traced your fingers over his bone, trying to reassure him, but unsure of what you could do to help. You turned your head, pressing a soft kiss onto his skull and meeting Alphys' gaze, giving her a small smile. She smiled back before moving to stand, leading Undyne with her.

"We should get back home too, runt. I'm glad you're not dead. Don't pull that stunt again, okay? I'll see you later." Undyne said, patting your head passingly as she and Alphys let themselves out.

"Goodbye, Y/n. Stop by sometime for a chat." Grillby's voice came from the door, startling you, and you gave him a small smile and a wave, a silent promise to honor his request.

Then, it was just you, Sans, and Papyrus.

"I AM GOING TO START A WARM BATH FOR THE HUMAN. THEY ARE QUITE DIRTY AND COLD." Papyrus said, standing, and you almost begged him to stay, afraid of what Sans would say, but he was gone before you could speak.

Silence.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't think...I didn't..." You started, swallowing thickly. "I didn't think you'd care. I thought you'd be happier if I was dead." 

Sans tensed, going completely rigid as a loud sob ripped itself from his teeth. You began to panic, choking on your fear as you worried you'd hurt him again in some way, when suddenly, he flipped you around so that you were straddling him, your face inches away from his, both eyelights so small you could barely see them as they searched over your face. Blue tears were staining his cheeks, bright and glaring against his bleached white bone

"if you had died last night because i hadn't been a good enough boyfriend to notice how much you were hurting, i would've followed soon after. you have no idea how much i love you, little one. my perfect sweetheart, so wonderful and broken. i was supposed to always take care of you, and i failed you, so badly. if you'll let me, i promise never to make that mistake again." Sans' voice was intense and honest, and your eyes widened at his promise, your breath caught in your throat.

"I love you so much." You sobbed, resting your forehead against his as tears began to flow hotly down your cheeks for the thousandth time tonight.

You felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from you, as if you were finally able to breathe after spending days, weeks, slowly suffocating. It was so relieving you slumped forwards in Sans' grasp. He caught you effortlessly, shushing you gently as he ran a bony hand down your back in a soothing pattern, petting you like a cat. You stayed like that until Papyrus came back into the room, announcing that your bath was finished. You moved to get up off of Sans' lap, but he stopped you, shushing you again as he scooped you up and held you flush against him like you'd carry a toddler.

You relaxed against him, exhaustion making your limbs heavy and shaky as you tried to hold yourself up to help him. He just hummed softly and didn't complain, carrying you to the bathroom with Papyrus following close behind, holding a large, soft white towel carefully in his phalanges. When you reached the bathroom, Sans set you down on the closed toilet seat, and you began to stand, expecting him to leave, when he placed a hand gently on your shoulder. You looked at him oddly as he smiled down at you, guilt in his eyes. You widened your eyes at his expression, brow furrowing as you studied his face.

"let us take care of everything for a while, okay? you need a break, and i need to make sure that you're okay. please." Sans begged, and you looked past him, up to Papyrus, who had a similar, hopeful, and innocent expression on his face.

"Okay," You agreed, and both skeletons seemed to relax, Papyrus going to sit by the tub with a happy smile, his tall torso rising easily over the lip of the bath.

Sans smiled down at you gently, kneeling by you to better suit his massive frame to your current sitting height. With ease, he grabbed the bottom of your sweater and pulled it over your head, pressing a soft kiss on your stomach and making you giggle at the sensation, which served to lighten the heavy atmosphere of the room. Then, in quick succession, taking no more time than necessary, he removed the rest of your clothing, his hands lingering on your bare skin as if he was worried you would disappear at any moment. You just sat there complacently, letting out a little squeak as he picked you up and sat you into the warm water of the bath, taking a seat next to his brother.

The water was hot enough to be comfortable without burning your skin, and you relaxed into the sensation, melting as the heat seeped into your muscles and turned them into jelly. Sans ran his hand over your ribs that jutted out against your skin, and you blushed, a little embarrassed at how much weight you'd lost. Papyrus looked down at you sadly, then a look of determination flashed in his eyes and he straightened, startling both you and Sans.

"I MUST MAKE SPAGHETTI SO THAT YOU CAN REGAIN YOUR STRENGTH! AFTER WE ALL GET SOME SLEEP, I WILL PREPARE IT FOR DINNER!" Papyrus announced proudly, and you and Sans relaxed a bit, smiling at his antics.

"pap, can you hand me the washcloth?" Sans requested, and Papyrus nodded, handing him the small square and a rose body wash.

Sans dunked the cloth into the bath and poured on too much body wash, making you chuckle softly. He gave you a small smile and dipped it in the water again, before scrubbing it together to lather up the soap. Papyrus, eager to help, grabbed a cup that sat on the lip of the tub and filled it with water, leaning forward so that he could pour it over your head. You tipped your head back and closed your eyes as he poured the water over your hair, sighing softly as the warm liquid heated your scalp. Sans brought the cloth up to your leg, rubbing it gently in small circles to simultaneously massage your calf and clean out the grime.

Papyrus began to shampoo your hair, paying careful attention to every movement with meticulous care you didn't usually see in the taller skeleton. Together, they worked to fully clean you, and by the time they'd finished their ministrations and begin to drain the tub, you were so warm and relaxed you were falling asleep, your head resting against the side of the tub. You shivered as the water drained away, your brows drawing together as you whined in discomfort.

You heard a soft chuckle that you distantly registered was Sans before you felt his hand come to rest against your face, his touch feather-light, his thumb pressing softly on the space between your brows to smooth out the wrinkles caused by your discomfort. You relaxed, subconsciously leaning into the touch as a pair of arms picked you up, and Sans' hand drew away from your face to wrap a towel around your frame. You were passed from Papyrus to Sans then, and you leaned into your boyfriend's embrace. He pressed a soft kiss to your cheek as he carried you out of the bathroom.

You fought to open your eyes after a few moments, and were a bit disoriented to find yourself in Sans and your shared bedroom. Sans carried you over to the bed and set you down, and you quickly had to tighten your core to keep yourself from toppling over. Your eyes were dry and tired, and you wanted nothing more than to go to sleep, watching as Sans moved away from you to grab a pair of your pajamas, some underwear, and another towel.

He moved over to kneel in front of you, setting the clothes on the bed beside you and opening the folded towel. He then used it to gently dry your hair, taking that towel and the one wrapped around you and placing them on the floor after making sure you were perfectly dry. Then, before you could even get the chance to start shivering again, he pulled the sleep shirt over your head, gently guiding your arms as you struggled to get them into the proper holes in your fuzzy mindset. He didn't chastise you, waiting patiently until you had finished to put on your underwear and sleep shorts, before finally pulling you into a tight hug.

You blinked a few times as the overhead lights suddenly flicked off, the soft glow of the morning through the cracks in the drapes covering your window the only things illuminating your room. Sans chuckled again as he scooped you up in his arms, laying you out on the bed before pulling off his own clothes, quickly changing into a pair of shorts and a tank top that was clean before slipping into bed behind you. He pulled you close to his chest, a rumbling purr growing in his ribcage as he snuggled into you. You fought to stay awake to enjoy this moment, a smile stretching itself across your face. Sans pressed a soft kiss to your head and wrapped himself around you.

"just go to sleep, my little one. i won't let what happened last night ever happen again, okay? papy is going out to get your meds, and everything will be okay. just go to sleep, i'll protect you. i love you so much." And just before you fell asleep, you flashed him your best, brightest grin, though you knew he wouldn't be able to see it.

"I love you too."

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, darlings! Liked what you read? Want a fic of your own? Please let me know in the comments if you like this style of fic as much as I do, and if you have any specific requests! I love you all!


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